X-Ecutioners

Self-described as "the overqualified but under-appreciated blue-collar superheroes of the new Hip-Hop," the X-ecutioners, from New York, include Rob Swift, Mista Sinista, Roc Raida and Total Eclipse. Counted among the best of the new breed of DJs elevating turntable art to the next level, they are also concerned with the place of this artform in the music history books, as they fight to keep "the original brick that built the house of Hip-Hop from crumbling under the weight of years of abuse and neglect." Transcending the gangsta rap routines of their contemporaries, the X-ecutioners don't rely on an MC to convey a verbal 'message' but on their massive street skills as a team of turntable musicians to convey a powerful new soulful sound featuring breakthrough vinyl platter manipulations, including mixing, scratching, body tricks and beat juggling.

The X-ecutioners were known for many years as The X-Men, changing their name later for copyright reasons. The X-Men were formed in 1989 at a time when all DJ competitions were ruled by Clark Kent's Superman DJ Crew. The original members, Steve D, Johnny Cash, Sean Cee and Roc Riada, united for the purpose of toppling the Superman DJ's from the top of the field. However, a battle never took place, and they redefined their goals and began entering professional competition while elevating the art of DJ-ing to new heights. They became perennial champions in international competition and were pioneers in the art of beat juggling, which Rob Swift explains as "manipulating a kick, snare, and high hat off a record and reorganizing the sounds to create a totally different composition, the same way one would do with a sampling machine."

Members of the X-ecutioners have mixed/dj-ed for the Jungle Brothers, Showbiz & AG, Artifacts, Bill Laswell, Large Professor, Beatnuts, Fat Joe, Sadat X, Lord Finesse, Akinyele, and Common Sense, and have individually won national and international dj competition titles. The X-ecutioners signed to Asphodel Records in November of 1997.